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Steph Curry Backs Brita -- Not Coke or Pepsi

NBA Star Signs Three-Year Deal With Water Filtration Brand

National Basketball Association superstar Stephen Curry has a new beverage endorsement deal -- and it's not with Coke, Pepsi or another soda. Instead, the Golden State Warrior is backing water filtration brand Brita.

Mr. Curry signed a three-year deal to "endorse the brand's water filtration products and the benefits of water in general," according to a statement. He will be featured in TV ads, PR and social media campaigns.

"Drinking water is essential to a healthy lifestyle," Mr. Curry said in the statement. "Water is my drink. I like that Brita makes tap water taste good, so you don't need to spend money or waste plastic with bottled water."

The campaign will begin in January, with the TV ads expected to debut in March, according to Brita. The agency is DDB, San Francisco.

"By deciding to work with Brita – and make no mistake, Stephen Curry could endorse any beverage he wants -- he's sending a powerful message that clean, clear water is the right choice for everyone in America," Ed Huber, general manager of the Brita brand, said in the statement.

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In its announcement, Brita linked the deal to the Drink Up organization, which it described as "an effort from the Partnership for a Healthier America and its honorary chairwoman First Lady Michelle Obama to encourage people to drink more water more often." Brita also quoted a 2013 study in the journal Pediatrics that it said "showed nearly 80% of the food endorsed by top athletes was 'energy dense and nutrient poor,' while 93% of beverages endorsed got 100% of their calories from added sugar."

"It's hard to over-estimate the importance of deals like this," Drew Nannis, chief marketing officer at the Partnership for a Healthier America, said in a statement. "When we launched Drink Up, this was the vision. We hoped to help encourage trend-setting celebrities, consumer brands and others to work together to encourage people to pick water more often. Stephen Curry teaming up with Brita is absolutely going to make a difference in our efforts."